Floating at Red Mountain

We had an additional 7 cm overnight which does not sound like a lot but added to the previous 18 cm made for conditions where we once again could feel the sensation of skiing (floating) within the snow. It is so nice to be in soft conditions again.

Progress

We had a great training day yesterday, it was colder and the mountain was quite vacant. My group started with groomers developing basics which we then progressed into powderfields. Enjoying their progress in the powderfields are Judy Inglis and Cindy Lee Rogers.

More Snow

We received another 8 cm last night for a total of 18. The new snow is opening up areas of the mountain that were previously skiable but hard.

This photo is NONSTOP participants Rebekah Black expertly dropping a 10 footer on Lynx Line.

Canadian Ski Quest Camp 4

Today was day one for Camp 4. The bonus was 10 cm of fresh snow. One way of telling what sort of season this has been is the fact that 10 cm brought out a crowd. Normally a measly 10 cms would not even be mentioned but skiers around here have been waiting for a while. It was great to ski a new snow condition, and a nice start to the Ski Quest week.

Photos are Canadian Ski Quest participants Michael Kessner and Cindy Lee Rogers

360 Train

Jeff Amentea, Nate Rose, Evan Mackay

Creative Variation

The CSIA uses a scale to describe skill development. I-A-C-R-CV. I is for Initiation, R is for Refinement CV is for Create Variation. This video clip is Red Mountain Freeskiing Academy Skier Evan Mackay in Create Variation. As far as I know this is a unique skiing move. Not recommended if you are over 23 years of age!

100% Pass Rate for NONSTOP

We completed the CSIA Level 1 course today for the NONSTOPSKI Instructor training program. Thanks to expert preparation from Aladar Reusz and Jonathan Campagna, we had a 100% pass rate, outstanding! Show expert form today are NONSTOP participants (and now CSIA certified ski instructors). Mark Pinches, John English, Charlotte Mason, Francesca Wainwright, and Mark Rezepka.

Mark Rezepka

Canadian Ski Quest Week Two Video

Thanks to Mike Manara fo his video production skillls. Here is the link to the action of last week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=676-JfP545A

I Forgive Didier Cuche

Many followers of this blog will know of my confrontational history with fellow HEAD skier Didier Cuche. I have to say he has redeemed himself and I forgive him. Check out this winning Super G run at the World Championships in Val d'Isere. This is one of the cleanest most incredible runs ever. It must have been the extra training time he got on my bike!

Didier: Peace Brother!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=n22cAiw1QcQ

Mike Manara at Red Mountain

Canadian Ski Quest instructor Mike Manara, he is the guy in the air. The program this week is like a reunion, this is Mike's fifth year on the program. All but two participants have done multiple programs in the past. Two theories exist as to the high repeat rate on Canadian Ski Quest programs 1) Everyone keeps coming back for the Kuk's bowling and disco experience. 2) The pass rate for the program is very low, to date I believe 3 people have passed Canadian Ski Quest, everyone else is told that, in spite of signifigant improvements, they need to repeat the program and additional training in New Zealand is always suggested. It is a little known fact that Canadian Ski Quest is considerably harder to pass than the CSIA Level 4.

Demonstrating excellent form and pressure control in the second photo is Jeremy Tod from Indonesia. Although his skiing is looking quite remarkable, Mike remains skeptical regarding passing marks for Jeremy this season, he may need to repeat in 2010.

Kuks Bowling and Disco

Every Tuesday night Canadian Ski Quest travels to Northport Washington to a very special place called "Kuk's Bowling and Disco". Yes there is a bowling alley in the place and the "disco" is pretty much what you see here. Wild and crazy times......

Carving Conditions

It has been snowing all day today,BUT it is one of those snowfalls where accumulation amounted to about 1cm. Just nice to know it can happen. The snow on the groomers is holding up incredibly well. I think this is a combination of machine operator skill plus the fact that most Rosslanders don't bother skiing unless there is new snow. If you have performance ski the conditions we currently have are ideal.

The photos are Nigel and Jon tipping them over.

Crowds at Red Mountain

Today was day one of Canadian Ski Quest camp 2. The unusually crowded condition of Southern Belle is explained in the video clip.

Red Mountain Bumps

The place to be at the moment is Red. The bumps are getting better and better. This video clip is of me skiing just under the Red Chair.

More Great Results from Red Mountain Freeskiers

Great results from Red Mountain Academy Freeskiers. Jeff Amentea and Sally Steeves competed in the Snickers Junior Free Ski Event in Fernie over the weekend. Jeff finished third in the 16-18 year old category. Sally finished FIRST in the 12-15 year old category (Sally is 13)

Congratulations Jeff and Sally!

Tips for Skiing with Children

This is an article I wrote for the CSIA EDGE magazine:

Impey’s Tip’s for Skiing with Kids
By Mark Impey, Red Mountain

Establish Boundaries: Kids are always seeking boundaries. They usually do this from the
start of the training session, they seem to have a pack mentality where they work together
to determine how far they can push their coach (in terms of both skiing safety and respectfulness).
Once they know where the boundaries are, they start having fun and learning.

Develop a routine: If you are skiing with a group for more than one day, a warm up routine
will give the kids something they can rely on. Establish warm up runs and drills.

Kids love competition*: *As long as they win! Avoid setting up competition scenarios
where one kid wins. Instead set up team type challenges that encourage kids to work together.
Count short turns, or jumps down a mogul field individually and then add them up,
which group wins? Relay drills.

Maximum Speed/Minimum Terrain:
Introduce new concepts or drills on easy terrain.
Then add speed
Then take it to more challenging terrain
Blend terrain challenge with speed and drill challenges: Vary your approach through each
training session. A great training session will at some point provide a speed or drill challenge
and at some point provide a terrain (steep) challenge. Avoid focusing on only one of
these. Sessions that are focused solely on conquering terrain will develop defensive skiers.
Sessions that are focused solely on drills will develop robotic skiers.

Know when to hold them: Let’s say the group has made and achievement, such as successfully
skiing a new terrain challenge. Put that success in your pocket; resist the temptation
to do it again, save it for another day. The highlight of the day has been established; don’t
risk losing it by trying to repeat it when they are tired. Even if the second attempt is successful
it will not be memorable in comparison to the original achievement.

Time your challenges: You should be presenting your toughest challenges about 2/3 of the
way through your session. Build up to it, always be aware of the physical and emotional
state of each kid. Present your toughest challenges when the kids are both physically and
emotionally high. If one is up and the other is down, you will not meet with success.
Cool down on easy terrain: Your sessions should finish with flow and confidence. Do
something with the group that you are sure they can do.

Review Accomplishments: Instead of reviewing progress at the very end, review it at the
top of the last easy run. Ask the kids what they have accomplished through the session. If
asking does not work, tell them what they have accomplished. Do these while you still
have a flowing run beneath you.

Janice Morgan Short Turns

This is CSIA Level 4 Course Conductor Janice Morgan executing a very nice short turn run at Sun Peaks. For those technical types she is working on moving her skis through the turn as she increases angulation. She actually improves as she gets closer to the camera, you might notice that near the top of the run her legs split between the turns but this diminishes as she gets closer when her skis are moving forward through the turn. A high level of refinement!

High Speed Ass Scratch

Now here is a real skill! Casey Bouis demonstrating his ability to scratch his ass while executing perfect angulation. Why let an itch get in the way of your skiing? Or maybe he is just losing it in the rotational plane?

Teach to Teach to Teach to Teach

This is a photo of Jason Simpson teaching the rest of the group on how to present the topic of the day. The Level 4 candidates are developing their ability to teach other instructors how to teach.

Try to stay with me here! The candidates are learning how to teach others how to teach skiing. My job is to teach them how to do this, so I am teaching them how to teach to teach. Therefore when Jason is teaching his fellow Course Conductors, he is teaching us how to teach to teach to teach. Warren Jobbitt is overseeing Jason so he is............

Course Conductor Warm Up Run

We have had some great snow at Sun Peaks this week. This video clip is the Course Conductor warm up run on Tuesday. The last guy skiing down is Jason Simpson.

The course is going really well, I feel like I have found my teaching groove this week, like I said before this course keeps me sharp. It is always worthwhile to challenge yourself.

Sun Peaks Level 4

I am having a bit of difficulty her with internet access so the posts this week are brief.

Skiing in video clip are Level 4 candidates Simon Bazinet, Bryan Cleaver, David Lambert, Dan Maki, Lesley Scourgie, and Ota Nobuyuki

NONSTOP Instructor Standards

This is tooting the NONSTOP horn a bit.....

This photo is of my fellow course conductor on the CSIA Level 4 course Jason Simpson. Jason is the Technical Director of the Whistler NONSTOP program, my Whistler counterpart. I think the fact that two of the Level 4 CSIA course conductors are directly employed by NONSTOP says a great deal about the standards the company sets. None of NONSTOP's competitors are represented amongst the Level 4 course conducting staff. I truly believe NONSTOP sets the highest standards of any instructor training program, in all aspects of the business. And this is how they attract people like Jason. I am very proud to be a part of it.

Nancy Greene

This "photo" (the photographer had the camera set on video) is of me and Olympic Gold Medalist, Canada Female athlete of the 20th century, and fellow Rosslander, Nancy Greene. Nancy is the Director of Skiing at Sun Peaks and she owns the Cahilty Lodge here. Incidentally she has also just been named to the Canadian Senate. Quite a woman!

CSIA Level 4 at Sun Peaks

I am at Sun Peaks to conduct the Level 4 course. This is a real challenge for me as an instructor, the candidates taking the course represent the most professional instructor group in Canada. All are very dedicated to the profession of ski instructing and all have a tremendous amount of experience. Working this course really keeps my teaching sharp. I will be here for the entire week.

The snow conditions here are similar to Red, great groomers, but little to entice us off piste.

This photo is CSIA course conductor Bartoz Barcynski from Whistler.